Ja Morant delivered in the clutch once again. Morant sank a 12-foot jumper in the lane as time expired, lifting the Memphis Grizzlies to a dramatic 110-108 win over the Miami Heat on Thursday night. The victory not only snapped a four-game losing streak for Memphis but also gave interim coach Tuomas Iisalo his first win at the helm.
Morant was electric, finishing with 30 points — 11 of them in a pivotal fourth quarter that saw the Grizzlies claw their way back and hold off a furious Miami rally. The game-winner sent the home crowd into a frenzy and gave Memphis a much-needed morale boost in its push to climb back into the Western Conference playoff picture.
“It was about staying poised,” Morant said postgame. “I just wanted to get to my spot and make a play.”
While Morant hit the decisive shot, he had plenty of help. Desmond Bane posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Scotty Pippen Jr. contributed 17 off the bench, and both Jaylen Wells and Jaren Jackson Jr. chipped in 13 apiece.
The Grizzlies showed resilience late, particularly on the defensive end. With under a minute remaining and Memphis clinging to a 108-106 lead, Morant found himself switched onto Miami big man Bam Adebayo. Adebayo’s short jumper over Morant fell short, giving the Grizzlies a crucial stop before Tyler Herro tied it at 108 in the final seconds, setting the stage for Morant’s heroics.
Tyler Herro poured in a game-high 35 points for the Heat, and Adebayo added 26, but it wasn’t enough to extend Miami’s win streak to seven. Rookie big man Kel’el Ware added 13 points and pulled down 15 rebounds in another strong outing. Despite the hot hand from their stars, Miami fell to 0-4 this season when Adebayo and Herro combine for 59 or more points — an oddly concerning trend for the playoff-bound Heat.
The loss stings more for Miami after earlier results locked the team into a play-in tournament berth for the third straight season, following Milwaukee’s win over Philadelphia. While Miami made a Finals run from the play-in spot in 2023, and reached the playoffs again in 2024, the road ahead remains uncertain.
No Double-Digit Leads: Neither team led by more than nine points all night in a tightly contested battle. Grizzlies’ Fight: Memphis needed this one badly to keep hopes alive for a top-six seed in the West. Morant’s 11 points in the fourth were the difference. Heat’s Odd Stat: Adebayo and Herro have combined for 59+ points four times this season. Miami is winless in all four games.
The Grizzlies head to Detroit on Saturday to face the Pistons, while the Heat will try to bounce back against Eastern Conference powerhouse Milwaukee at home.
